& DISTRICT ORGANISTS’ ASSOCIATION

Founded 1926 LDOA

President: Martyn Rawles, FRCO

APRIL 2016 NEWSLETTER

RECENT LDOA VISITS/EVENTS in D Major BWV 580, and 'Little' E Minor Prelude BWV 533. Saturday 12th March 2016, All Saints Church, Streetly

Today’s visit to All Saint’s Streetly was arranged and hosted by our Committee member and Assistant Director of Music, Chris Booth, and we had the pleasure of meeting the recently appointed Director of Music, Sian Perkins, who also joined us for our visit.

The visit was attended by 17 members and guests, commencing with our 2016 AGM, matters arising from which are covered separately in this newsletter under ‘2016 AGM’.

Following the AGM, Chris Booth gave a brief description of the 3 manual Allen digital organ, but I’m indebted to Paul Geoghegan, at one time Director of Music at All Saints’, for filling in some of the gaps in the history of the organs here. Chris Booth demonstrating the organ at All Saints’ Church, Streetly

Paul’s understanding of the history of the organ comes Peter King followed with a piece by one of his favourite from a life-long member of the church who recalls the composers, John Stanley, then Pat Neville took advantage opening of the “new” nave. of the opportunity to get in some practice on pieces she

will be playing at her forthcoming lunchtime recital at  1919 - Opening of original Church (Now the Lady Trinity Methodist Church, Shenstone. Chapel) Harmonium used to accompany  Circa 1954 - Opening of new nave. “What are we going to use to accompany the services?” Hole knocked in north choir wall and a “cubby hole” made (hastily) in which was installed a Compton Electrone with a speaker enclosure on the wall above - outline of which can still be seen on the wall of the choir. See also “gate and flap” in choir stalls to allow access to the console.  1970s - Electrone now unreliable, an Allen 2 manual was installed (MDS1?), with the console in the nave in front of the front pew south side. This served the church faithfully until the late 1990s.  2000 - Current 3 manual Allen Renaissance digital organ installed in present position, with custom 8- speaker array in the roof space above the chancel and a separate speaker for the Festival Trumpet at the

West end, as advised by the acoustic consultant. Total Tony White playing the organ of All Saints’ Church, Streetly cost of £46,000, raised by the church’s congregation. Then, an opportunity for Paul Geoghegan to renew Chris then proceeded to use Purcell’s Trumpet Tune to acquaintances improvising on an instrument he played for demonstrate the various sounds of this substantial several years when he was Director of Music here at All specification Allen organ, including the strident Festival Saints’. John Carvell was followed by Richard Syner with Trumpet, which should certainly ensure the congregation an assured rendering of Franck’s Chorale No 3, given that were sitting up and paying attention! he had little or no preparation time. Colin Brookes was, as is his preference, last up with an improvisation to sample Members were then invited to put the organ through its the various sounds to be had on this versatile instrument, paces, and Tony White lost no time in getting things under which, although digital, does in fact make a very satisfying way with some accomplished playing of J S Bach’s Fugue sound, despite the less than helpful acoustic of the

1 building, and must have made for a great improvement the locator map below, bear right at the next set of lights over the instruments that preceded it. onto Mansion St, and then turn right at the next set of lights at the bottom of the hill into The Borough. Whilst members were playing, other members had the Immediately afterwards, turn left and then take the first opportunity to sample the welcome drinks and turning on the right into Stockwell Head. Then look out for refreshments kindly provided by Chris Booth, and also to the narrow drive on the LH side immediately after the peruse and acquire surplus organ music and books entrance to the Council pay and display car park. This brought along by David Gumbley, Clive Smith and drive is shared by the church and the working men’s club, Stephanie Flanagan, a guest of Chris Greenhalgh. We are so turn left into the drive, and then at the end of it turn right indebted to all three for generously agreeing that into the church car park. donations for the music/books go to the Association, raising a very welcome £45 on the day, with much remaining to be brought along again to our future events.

Our thanks to Chris Booth for hosting a splendid visit, and to Sian Perkins, who became our newest member when she joined our Association this afternoon! TS

FORTHCOMING LDOA VISITS/EVENTS

2016 visit/events

We wish to encourage as many members as possible to come along to our visits. If any member wishes to attend a Location of Hinckley Baptist Church visit, but requires assistance with transport, please contact either Richard Syner or Trevor Smedley, and we will To get to the URC after parking, as shown on the map endeavour to identify someone able to offer a lift. Our below, walk back to Stockwell Head, cross over the road contact phone numbers are on the final page of this and walk down the hill using the pavement on the LH side newsletter. until you reach the lights. Turn left at the lights into a road

th called The Borough. Cross over onto the RH side of The Saturday 7 May 2016, Hinckley URC and Baptist Borough and you'll see the URC just after the Nationwide Church Building Society. We’re due at the URC at 2 pm, and it's about 5 minutes’ walk from the Baptist Church. A visit to see and play two very contrasting organs. Visit commencing at 2 pm to Hinckley United Reformed Church, The Borough, Hinckley, Leicestershire, LE10 1NL. This visit is hosted by David Crick, and we will have the opportunity to play the historic 1878 3 manual 39 stop tracker action Holdich organ, refurbished by J W Walker in 1961 and 2006-7, and which was awarded a Historic Organ Certificate in 1998.

Then we move on to Hinckley Baptist Church, Baptist Walk, Hinckley, Leicestershire, LE10 1PR, where the 2 manual 22 stop Walker organ has been sold, and replaced by our member Andrew McMillan with an electronic organ with Hauptwerk software, using the sample set of the Willis organ of Hereford Cathedral, and comprising 3 manuals with 57 stops (of the 67 of the Hereford Cathedral organ), and with a substantial 17 speaker/amplifier sound system. Route for the short walk from Hinckley Baptist Church to Hinckley URC

As there is no parking at Hinckley URC, Andrew has th Wednesday 29 June 2016, Polesworth Abbey suggested we park at Hinckley Baptist Church, and then take a 5 minute walk to our first venue, Hinckley URC. An evening visit to Polesworth Abbey, near Tamworth. Andrew’s suggested route to Hinckley Baptist Church is Father Philip has kindly invited us to meet at 7 pm in the east along the A5 until you reach the A47 roundabout. refectory for tea/coffee, and to then play the 3 manual 28 Take the 2nd exit from the roundabout onto Coventry stop organ originally built by Taylor of Leicester in 1912, Road/B4666. Continue along Coventry Road for 1.5 miles and moved here from St Michael’s & All Angels, Leicester, (I think you pass 4 sets of lights, the first is a new road then restored in 1998. junction and then the next 3 are pedestrian crossings).

After passing a small recreation ground on the right, you'll rd Saturday 3 September 2016 see the spire of St Mary’s church in the distance above the buildings ahead, and then you'll then arrive at a junction Richard Syner to his credit has managed to arrange a full with traffic lights. day’s organ crawl to Newcastle-under-Lyme to play no

less than four substantial organs. Bear left at those lights onto Trinity Lane/A4667, as per 2 We start our visit by meeting at 10:30 am at St Wulstan’s, The plan is for us to attend the candlelit Advent Carol Wolstanton (3 manual 44 stop Rushworth & Draper organ Service commencing at 6 pm, followed by drinks and from circa 1920, rebuilt in 2014), then drive the 2 miles into nibbles in College Hall, then the opportunity to play the Newcastle-under-Lyme for 12:15 pm to St George’s (3 organ till about 9.30 pm. manual 48 stop Wadsworth organ). Leave at 1:15 pm for the nearby Congregationalist Church to eat packed Other 2016 Visits/Events lunches and to play the 3 manual 33 stop Rushworth & Dreaper organ, restored by M C Thompson in 2006. Further 2016 visits/events are in the process of being finalised, including: Then finally on for 3 pm to St Paul’s, to play ‘one of the finest parish church organs in the country’, a completely Annual Dinner refurbished 4 manual 81 stop Hill organ, which is one of the last organs built under Arthur Hill’s direction before the The consensus of members attending the AGM was that a amalgamation with Norman & Beard. See photo of the dinner for LDOA members and guests was preferred, as in console below to whet your appetite! As well as a 2015. We will liaise with Birmingham Organists’ Glockenspiel, added in 1995, it has a Tibia Liquida stop, Association to ensure our dinners don’t clash, given that which opens a door to a cocktail cabinet above the stop some of our members are also members of BOA. jam! This latter stop could come in handy if we are all flagging at the end of a long day! Members’ Recital

When we visit churches, there is little opportunity for members to get the feel of the organ or prepare registrations for pieces. This limits pieces to those that can be played without preparation time.

To give members the opportunity to play and hear some of the more demanding pieces in the organ repertoire, we propose a new venture for our Association - a Members’ Recital. Held at a local church, with a substantial 3 or 4 manual instrument, we plan to invite our more experienced members to volunteer to play for 10-15 minutes each, with the opportunity to set up registrations and try the organ in advance.

The event will be for members and family/guests, and will be extended to members of the congregation of the church hosting the event. Light refreshments will be provided in the interval to make it also a social event. Free admission with a retiring collection, divided between the LDOA and the church hosting the event. Looking to hold it on a St Paul’s Newcastle-under-Lyme console Saturday afternoon in early/mid July 2016.

Please don’t let any transport difficulties be an impediment Once a venue/date has been finalised more details and an to attending this ‘not-to-be-missed’ opportunity of a terrific invitation to members to volunteer to play will follow. day. If you need help with transport, contact either Trevor Smedley or Richard Syner, and we will try to assist.

th 2016 AGM Saturday 5 November - Coleshill Parish Church Our AGM was held at 2 pm on Saturday 12th March 2016 Richard Syner is keen to include an educational element at All Saints Church, Streetly, attended by 15 members. to one of our visits, and as part of our visit to Coleshill Parish Church, where there is a 3 manual 36 stop Walter Matters arising of particular interest to members were: James Bird organ, he has enlisted the services of Birmingham Organists’ Association President, Mick Future visits/events Perrier, to present a workshop on the basics of ‘Improvisation’, a most useful skill for any organist. Our Secretary, Richard Syner, asked for members’ views

th on whether we continue as last year with an Annual Dinner Saturday 26 November, President’s Evening at for LDOA members/guests only or look to have a (provisional date) combined one with sister associations. The consensus was to continue with our own Annual Dinner. Martyn Rawles has had a request from the Derby & District Organists’ Association to visit the Cathedral. Given Richard is also working on possible visits/events for 2017, the problem of fitting in events this year at the Cathedral, and asked for members’ views on the Association having a with the disruption caused by rewiring and the arrival of tour of either Birmingham Town Hall or Symphony Hall, the new Bishop, it has been agreed to hold a combined with the opportunity to play the organ, for which there LDOA/DDOA event this year. would need to be a charge of approx. £16 per head. A few members indicated their interest, so certainly it looks worth 3 pursuing. If other members who weren’t able to attend the Members’ Recital AGM are interested in participating in such a visit, please make their interest known to Richard Syner. Under A.O.B. Trevor Smedley outlined a proposed new/extra event for 2016. See details under ‘Forthcoming Surplus music donations LDOA Visits/Events’.

The Treasurer’s Report drew attention to the fact that following two years of losses, in 2015 thanks to donations NEWS FROM THE LDOA COMMITTEE to the Association from the sale of surplus organ music donated to us via Clive Smith, the accounts showed a Vacancy on the Committee surplus for the year. Thus, there will be no increase in the subscriptions for 2017. Our thanks to Clive Smith for At the 2016 AGM, following David Gumbley’s resignation facilitating the acquisition by the Association of the surplus as Chairman, Trevor Smedley was elected as his organ music. replacement. Trevor agreed to continue to also produce the newsletter, so this leaves a vacancy on the As already covered under the report of our visit to All Committee, as we feel we need a minimum of 5 members Saints’ Streetly, members have this year donated further on the Committee. If any member feels they are willing music and books, which should ensure we make a small and able to contribute to the future plans and success of surplus again in 2016. the Association, and would like to be considered for membership of the Committee, please make your interest Gift Aiding Donations known to Trevor Smedley via [email protected]. The Treasurer’s report also confirmed that Mike Rudd is looking into getting the subscriptions by members who are Promoting members willing to deputise for services UK tax payers treated as gift-aided, to enable us to claim etc. in local churches back the tax from HMRC. At the AGM, we offered to promote on our website the Promoting member deputising services services of members willing to deputise for Sunday services/weddings and funerals. Three members have In the Newsletter Editor’s Report, members willing to offer already requested that their contact details be added to their playing services for Sunday services, funerals or our website, and if any other members would like their weddings were asked if they would be interested in having details to also be added, please advise Trevor Smedley their name/contact details included on our website, so as via [email protected]. to both promote members’ services and provide a useful service to local churches looking for assistance with We would also be willing to promote on our website any deputising. We could if requested also extend this to members able to offer organ tuition. Again, if any members include members who are able to offer organ tuition. wish to take advantage of this facility, please advise Trevor Smedley via [email protected]. Election of Officers Next Committee Meeting Under ‘Election of Officers’, all members of the Committee with the exception of our Chairman, David Gumbley, In approximately 3 months. Date T.B.A. agreed to continue in office, and were accordingly proposed and seconded. After over 40 years’ service on the LDOA Committee, first as Secretary and for the last 13 MEMBERS’ NEWS years as Chairman, David Gumbley felt it was time for someone else to take over this responsibility. As David New Members had made it known at the 2015 AGM that he was only prepared to continue as Chairman for one more year, A warm welcome to the following four new members members had already been canvassed to see if anyone joining us since the last newsletter: would be interested standing for the position of Chairman. No one had taken up the invitation, but Richard Hartshorn Alex & Will Packham had proposed that Trevor Smedley should stand. In the absence of any other candidates, Trevor Smedley agreed We are delighted to welcome two new student members of to stand and was duly elected. Trevor will continue to our Association, bringing our student membership now to produce the Newsletter, but this does now leave a 8. Brothers Alex (14) and Will (12) are both students at vacancy on the Committee. See ‘News from the Lichfield Cathedral School, and whilst Will is a chorister, Committee’ section of this newsletter. Alex has retired as a chorister, although he remains a bell ringer at Lichfield Cathedral. On behalf of members, Paul Geoghegan expressed our thanks to David Gumbley for his loyal service to the They have both attended our Young Persons’ Cathedral Association and its members for over 40 years. His tenure Organ Day Events, which we trust helped to encourage included the years from 2002 to 2007, when the their interest in the organ. Both are currently working Association was dormant, before, under David’s towards Grade 5 organ, under the guidance for the last chairmanship, together with Secretary Pam Strong and year of Martyn Rawles, as well as having access to the Treasurer Pat Neville, the Association was reformed in organ at Christ Church, Lichfield, with the support and May 2007, and has since grown to 60 members. encouragement of Director of Music, Peter Elliott. Scott 4 Brothers Duo (Jonathan & Tom Scott) take note of some overseeing the development of the College’s two choirs, future competition! and for the design and installation of a new organ in the chapel. We trust their mother, Kathryn, may be able to bring along Alex and Will to our future events, so that we can welcome Before his untimely death, John Scott oversaw the design them in person, and hopefully hear them play. of a new organ at St Thomas, which is being made by Dobson Pipe Organ Builders, and will be named in his Sian Perkins honour upon completion. Removal of the present Skinner organ is scheduled for June 2016, and installation of the Sian was recently appointed Director of Music at All Saints new 4 manual 123 stop organ is expected to commence Streetly, and we had the pleasure of meeting her when just after Easter 2017, with completion approximately one she and Chris Booth hosted our most enjoyable visit to All year later. Saints’, Streetly, on Saturday 12th March. Sian plays the organ and lives in Clayhanger, near Walsall. Restoration project for the world’s largest pipe organ

Stephanie Flanagan The Wannamaker Grand Court Organ, with 28,677 pipes, in the Wannamaker department store (now Macey’s) in Stephanie came to our All Saints’, Streetly, visit as a guest Philadelphia is generally regarded as the world’s largest of Chris Greenhalgh, and brought along some surplus fully functional pipe organ. It has 6 manuals, 463 ranks of music for members to view. She couldn’t have been too pipes, 399 stops and weighs 287 tons. put off by us as she decided to join us! Stephanie isn’t an organist, but does play the piano, and is also a member of However, as measured by the number of pipes, the Lichfield Cathedral Chorus. She lives in Lichfield. Midmer-Losh organ, dating from 1932, in the Boardwalk Hall Auditorium, Atlantic City, with 33,114 pipes and 7 With these four new members, our membership has now manuals is the largest organ in the world, although it ‘only’ risen to 60, the highest for many years. has 449 ranks, 337 stops and weighs in at a mere 150 tons!

NEWS & SNIPPETS FROM THE ORGAN WORLD

Daniel Hyde appointed as John Scott’s successor at St Thomas’s, New York

The October 2015 Newsletter reported the sudden death of John Scott, Organist & Director of Music at St Thomas Fifth Avenue, New York. This post is arguably the most prestigious choral post in the USA, and after considering a large number of applicants from around the world, in February 2016 the appointment was announced of another ‘Brit’, Daniel Hyde, as John Scott’s successor. Daniel is currently Informator Choristarum, Organist and Tutorial Fellow of Music at Magdalen College, .

The Midmer-Losh organ of Boardwalk Hall Auditorium, Atlantic City

The Grand Ophicleide pedal stop, speaking on 100” wind pressure, is recognised in the Guinness Book of World Records as the loudest organ stop in the world, at 130 dB. It has also one of only two full-length 64’ stops in the world. So why did it need to be so large and powerful? Well, it had to be able to fill the cavernous interior of the Boardwalk Hall Auditorium, which originally had a seating capacity of 42,000, compared to, say, Birmingham Symphony Hall at 2,262. Daniel Hyde Most of this organ has not functioned since 1944; a partial Daniel Hyde began as an Organ Scholar at King's in 2000 restoration was carried out in 1998, but a $16m restoration under the Director of Music Stephen Cleobury. In 2002 he project is now under way, and it is hoped that 50% of the won the audience prize in the RCO Performer of the Year organ will be operational by the end of 2016, although at Competition, and graduated from King's in 2003 with a the current rate of funding, it is expected it will be 2023 First Class Honours in Music. Since then he has held the before it is fully restored. post of Director of Music at Jesus College, Cambridge, and performed as an international recitalist. Daniel was appointed to his current post at Magdalen College, Oxford, in 2009. During his time there he was responsible for

5 LICHFIELD CATHEDRAL NEWS/EVENTS (1933/IV-64 Hill, Norman & Beard Grand Organ, and 1992/II-20 HNB Choir Organ) and a chamber organ in the Organ Recitals at the Cathedral recital hall to explore the wide-ranging repertoire for the instrument - from the early baroque to jazz and Rewiring of Lichfield Cathedral commenced in 2015, and contemporary music. There should be something for the disruption to activities in the Cathedral regrettably everyone! impacted on organ recitals. The rewiring was due to be completed by Easter 2016, so hopefully we will soon have Tickets: £25 all day, or £5 for Kevin Bowyer’s lunchtime some good news to report about lunchtime Music for concert only. Contact to reserve tickets is Andrew Cantrill Reflection and Evening organ recitals in 2016. at: [email protected]

Appointment of the new Derby Arts Festival – Organ Classes on 7th May

The Right Reverend Dr has been named The Derby Arts Festival Committee has had the foresight as the new Bishop of Lichfield, succeeding the Right to introduce some Organ Classes into their festival this Reverend , who retired last year. He Spring. The Derby and District Organists’ Association assumes responsibility for one of the ’s Committee has agreed to encourage as many players as largest dioceses, with over two million people, and leading possible to support this helpful initiative, which they feel is a team with the Bishops of Wolverhampton, Stafford and a very positive move in support of organists who are often Shrewsbury. ignored in such events.

There are 3 classes: 16 under - Intermediate - Advanced. The date is Saturday May 7th, and the venue St John’s Church Derby, which has a fine large 2 manual instrument, that can cope with a wide variety of music at all levels of difficulty. Closing date for entries was Jan 31st. DDOA thought other local Associations might be interested in supporting this too.

Full details from the festival website: www.derbyartsfestival.co.uk.

The Right Revd Dr Michael Ipgrave IAO Music Festival 2016 Bishop Michael (57), the current in the Diocese of Southwark, will be the ninety-ninth Bishop of Formerly known as the IAO Congress, this will be held th th Lichfield, in a line going back to St Chad in the seventh from 24 – 29 July 2016 at Bath. A very varied century. In his personal welcome message to the Diocese, programme includes not only organ recitals by Peter King he refers to ‘so looking forward to coming back to the and David Hill at Bath Abbey, Jonathan Vaughn at Midlands’, as he grew up in a small village in Downside Abbey, Jeremy Filsell at Marlborough College Northamptonshire. He studied mathematics at Oriel and Bath Abbey and John Challenger at Salisbury College, Oxford, and trained for the ministry at Ripon Cathedral, but also a number of non-organ events, College Cuddesdon, Oxford, after a year spent working as including a talk by Colin Maggs on Brunel and the GWR! a labourer in a factory in Birmingham. He is also a supporter of Leicester City FC. Full programme details and prices can be found via: www.iao.org.uk/newsevent/festival Lichfield Cathedral Chorus Midlands Organ Day 2016

Vaughan Williams & Mendelssohn concert with organ at th 7:30 pm on Saturday 16th April 2016 at Lichfield Cathedral: Will be held on 17 September 2016 at Nottingham. Details will be added when available. Vaughan Williams - 5 Mystical Songs Mendelssohn - Symphony No 2 - Lobgesand (Song of Praise) MUSIC DAY AT ST PETER’S STONNALL

th Conducted by Ben Lamb, organist Martyn Rawles. St Peter’s Stonnall is holding a Music Day on Saturday 7 May, 2016 to help raise much needed funds. The plan is to have musicians of all kinds performing whilst visitors come IAO MATTERS and go during the day.

2nd East of England Organ Day We have been requested to enquire if any of our members would be willing to offer their services to play the 2 manual To be held at the Royal Hospital School, Holbrook, Viscount Jubilate 235 organ. Unfortunately the event Ipswich, on Saturday 7th May 2016, 10 am to 6 pm. clashes with our visit to Hinckley, but if any members are able to assist, please contact Val Neale (Owen) on 01543 The programme features Tom Bell, Tim Harper, William 374430 or via e-mail at [email protected] Saunders, Andrew Cantrill, and celebrity recitalist Kevin Bowyer. They will be using the two chapel organs 6 RECENT LOCAL ORGAN RECITALS REVIEWS Finally to the main work in the programme, Paysages Euskariens, by Ermend Bonnal, a French impressionist Andrew Fletcher recital at Emmanuel Wylde Green, composer like Debussy or Ravel. The work opens with La Friday 5th February 2016 Vallée du Béhorléguy depicting the stillness of morning, then Le Berger d’Ahusquy, a lilting melody using the Andrew Fletcher continued his theme for the 2015/6 clarinet stop. The work ends with Cloches dans le ciel, a lunchtime recitals series of ‘Keynote Works’, with typical French toccata with a brilliant semiquaver figuration Schmidt’s Prelude & Fugue in D, ‘Halleluya’, with its in the manuals and great chimes of falling fourths and thrilling prelude, then the fugue from which Andrew fifths in the pedals, culminating in a resounding climax, but warned us he would be ‘chopping out the awkward knitting rather surprisingly, in view of the title of the piece, no bits in the middle’, before concluding with the grand Whitechapel Bells! TS climax. Peter Morris recital at Walsall Town Hall, Thursday 18th Siciliano for a High Ceremony by Herbert Howells opens February 2016 and closes quietly with a central crescendo. Next to Book 1 and the first three charming sketches of six by C Having completed his trawl through the A-Z of composers Armstrong Gibbs, Lyric Melody, Elegy and Jubilate Deo. at the previous Walsall Town Hall recital, we were Then to two works originally programmed for November interested to discover what Peter had in store for us for the 2015, with first the beautiful Cloister Garth by Herbert remainder of the 2015/6 series. Peter has a fondness for Brewer, followed by Allegro Marziale by Harold Greenhill. the music of John Stanley, and plans to include a work by Then to the beautiful lyrical Sicilienne by Maria Theresia him in the remaining recitals, with no doubt J S Bach von Paradis. works also making an appearance.

The recital closed with a work by one of Andrew’s favourite Since the last recital, Nicholson’s have been working to composers, Percy Whitlock, and his ‘Sortie’ the last of restore the pedal stops to full working order that have Seven Sketches from the Psalms, building to a nice lively been out of action for some time, so Peter was finally able climax. to ‘welcome back some old friends’, as he described the return of the much missed pedals stops. Well supported by a good contingent of LDOA members, including Angela Sones renewing acquaintances with Charpentier’s Te Deum of Eurovision fame, was followed Andrew, one of the influential mentors from her by Pastorale by Cesar Franck, dedicated to Aristide Birmingham Conservatoire days. TS Cavaillé-Coll, showing to good effect the beautiful strings stops of the Town Hall organ. Then to J S Bach, and Prelude & Fugue (St Anne) in E flat, a challenging but Thomas Trotter recital at Birmingham Town Hall, masterful work, followed by John Stanley’s Voluntary No 6 Monday 8th February 2016 in F.

Thomas opened today’s recital with Brumba, a work At the previous recital, Peter happened to mention that he commissioned for Thomas Trotter to play at the re-opening was looking for something to play on the Town Hall organ celebrations of the hall and organ in 2007. The tongue-in- when the pedal department was back to full complement, cheek title reflects the Birmingham connection combined and as I’m currently learning the first movement, I with the rhythms of the rumba, requiring virtuosic playing, suggested he play Elgar’s Organ Sonata Op 28, all too which of course it duly received. rarely heard in full. He promised to do just that, so hence its inclusion in today’s programme, to my delight. For this Chorale Partita: ‘Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan by substantial work, it was jacket off and Peter’s wife Jane Pachelbel followed, comprising a simple chorale followed page turning! Peter can’t have had much time to practice by 9 variations, played mainly on manuals only. Then to W and prepare the many registration changes required, but T Best’s Variations on God Save the Queen, starting with he really showed off the colours of this organ in the four an introduction that gives no clue as to the tune to follow, varied movements of this substantial work. then the tune followed by four variations, the final one of which opens with a resounding outburst of regal fanfares, Despite already over-running the normal finishing time, and concludes with a grand fugue. Peter had had a request from Adam, the youngest member of his audience, for Star Wars by John Williams, Next to the quirky elements of today’s programme, as providing a very contrasting grand finale. Thomas described Lionel Rogg’s Two Studies – Le Improbable and Les Tetrachordes Insistant. The Swiss A challenging programme, including as it did both Bach’s organist Lionel Rogg, now in his 80th year, has performed ‘St Anne’ Fugue and Elgar’s Organ Sonata. An hour and at Birmingham Town Hall on a least two occasions, once twenty minutes of superb organ music for less than the in George Thalben-Ball’s time and once in Thomas’s time, price of a cup of coffee; now that really is giving the and is one of the most respected performers and teachers regulars value for money! TS in Europe, but has also become a prolific and successful composer. In the first study, the innocent phrase of six Luke Fitzgerald recital at Coleshill Parish Church, crotchets is played in the LH with the RH chipping away, Saturday 20th February 2016 eventually stuttering to a finish. The second study is a twinkling moto perpetuo, comprising a musical equivalent Having never before heard the 3 manual 36 stop Walter of a tongue-twister. James Bird organ of Coleshill Parish Church, and with the prospect of an LDOA visit later this year, this evening’s 7 recital by Luke Fitzgerald was a good opportunity to In fugue No 1, the four note BACH theme is clearly heard, remedy this. as the piece builds in tempo and volume. Fugue No 2 is lively and virtuosic, with a full organ climax. Luke is the 18 year old nephew and godson of the vicar of this church, Rev Nick Parker, and is currently on his gap Next to the first set of four Preludes from the year at Portsmouth Cathedral, where he is Organ Scholar, Orgelbüchlein, with first Mit Ried’ und Freud’ ich fahr’ despite having only been learning the organ for 5 years, dahin, then Herr Gott, nun schleuss den Himmel auf, and is using this year to prepare for his ARCO exam. He followed by Dies sind die heil’gen zehn Gebot’ and finally was previously a chorister at Jesus College Cambridge, Vater under im Himmelreich. and is also a composer and trombonist. He has been elected Organ Scholar at Gonville & Caius College Then back to Schumann for the lyrical Fugue No 3, Cambridge for 2016. followed by the much more substantial Fugue No 4. Next to the second group of four Preludes from the Orgelbüchlein, with first In dich hab’ ich gehoffet, Herr, followed by Wenn wir in höchsten Nöthen sein, and then Alle Menschen müssen sterben and finally Ach wie nichtig, ach wie flüchtig.

Then finally back to Schumann for Fugue No 5, a light- hearted jig, and finally to Fugue No 6, a monumental double fugue, opening with BACH and getting very animated and loud, leading to a heroic conclusion.

These Schumann fugues pay a fitting tribute to the master whose name they celebrate, and the general consensus seemed to be that they certainly deserve to be heard more Luke Fitzgerald frequently. TS Luke opened his programme confidently with J S Bach’s Andrew Fletcher recital at Emmanuel Wylde Green, Prelude & Fugue in A Minor BWV 543. Next to Vierne and th three pieces from Pieces in Style Libre, with first Friday 4 March 2016 Arabesque, then the dreamy Berceuse, and finally Carillon, with the driving repetitive theme in the pedals, We gathered from Andrew that there had been some and building to a full organ climax. transport disruption today, and as a consequence Andrew’s regular page turner had not put in an After the interval, Luke continued with music by one of his appearance, resulting in yours truly being pressed into favourite composers, Flor Peeters, and his Modale Suite, service as stand-in page turner! playing the first 3 movements. To conclude his recital, Luke chose one of the six Mendelssohn Sonatas not often Andrew opened with John Stanley’s Suite followed by heard, Sonata No 1 in F Minor. The bold first movement, Romance in G, a short gentle piece by Sir William Neil Allegro moderato e serioso, is followed by the Adagio, Mckie, an Australian organist, conductor, and composer, then the Andante, and finally Allegro assai vivace, which who was Organist and Master of the Choristers should perhaps have been taken at a rather quicker tempo at Westminster Abbey from 1941-1963, and noted for his to get the best out of this stirring, but far from easy, final direction of the music for the marriage of Princess movement. Elizabeth in 1947, and later her Coronation in 1953.

When taking his well-deserved applause for a very mature With the arrival now of David to take over page turning and confident performance, Luke disclosed that this was in duties, Andrew continued with three movements from fact his first public recital, which he hoped would be the Handel’s Royal Fireworks Suite, concluding with the joyful first of many. It undoubtedly will! La Rejouissance. Having played 3 Sketches Set I by C Armstrong Gibbs at the last recital, today Andrew played 3 Regarding our proposed visit to Coleshill, in this rather dry Sketches Set II, the first two pieces, Quiet Thoughts and acoustic, the organ sounds quite well without being Folk Song being quite gentle, but concluding grandly with particularly exciting. TS Processional.

Thomas Trotter recital at Birmingham Town Hall, Andrew ended with one of the stalwarts of the organ Monday 22nd February 2016 repertoire, and the work for which Boëllman is best-known, Suite Gothique, the last movement Toccata making for a Robert Schumann was fascinated with counterpoint, suitably barnstorming finale to today’s recital. TS canon and fugue, often to the point of obsession, Thomas Trotter recital at Birmingham Town Hall, ‘Fugenpassion’ as he himself called it. His inspiration for th this came from J S Bach, the composer he revered above Monday 7 March 2016 all others, and today’s recital features six Fugues on the name BACH, Op 60 Nos 1-6, played today in three pairs of Handel’s organ concertos were written for the theatre two, interspersed with two groups of four Preludes from rather than the church, and today’s opening work Concerto Bach’s Orgelbüchlein, the latter playing on this occasion in D Minor Op 7 No 4 begins with an expressive Adagio, something of a supporting role. not the usual Thomas Trotter exuberant opening we’re

8 used to, but then followed by two sparkling fast movements. Having opened on the Klais organ in fine style with Then to James Hook, a church organist who also played at Lemare’s arrangement of Wagner’s Prelude to Act III of pleasure gardens, first Marylebone Gardens and then Lohengrin, Thomas introduced his guest Michael Vauxhall Gardens, Thomas playing Two Voluntaries from Broadway. Thomas has known Michael since before a set of ten, sounding to my ear very much in the style of coming to Birmingham, as he is also an organ tuner, and Handel. looks after the organ Thomas plays at St Margaret’s Westminster, as well as other organs such as St Paul’s Then in the centenary year of his death, to the main work Cathedral and the Royal Albert Hall. Michael Broadway in today’s programme, Reger’s Fantasia on Chorale Straf’ has made a study of pianola performance for over thirty mich in deinem Zorn Op 40 No 2. Thomas commented years, performing in many famous UK venues and abroad, that Reger’s scores contain extreme notations, which the as well as BBC broadcasts. organist has to rein in somewhat to make the music more palatable. After the introduction, six contrasting verses follow culminating in one of Reger’s typically thunderous final cadences. Then in total contrast to Spring Song by Alfred Hollins, this delicious melody being beautifully registered and performed.

Today’s finale was provided by the spectacular organ transcription by Jean Guillou of Sergei Prokofiev’s Toccata, in which the motoric rhythm of this frenetic toccata is carried right through to the crashing glissando flourish of the final bar. Paul Carr was in the audience today, and we gathered it was this virtuosic toccata that was the main object of his interest. Perhaps it will be Michael Broadway making an appearance at St Paul’s in the Jewellery Quarter at some stage! TS He explained that what many people think of as a pianola,

th with the perforated roll in the front of what looks much like Peter Morris recital at Walsall Town Hall, Thursday 17 a conventional upright piano, is in fact a player piano. His March 2016 instrument this afternoon is his Ochestrelle Company ‘Push-up’ Pianola dating from 1914, coupled to Symphony The first two pieces of today’s recital were taken from ‘The Hall’s Steinway grand piano. The rolls (like the one in his Modern Organist Book’, with first Intrada by Grayston Ives hand in his photo above) being played today were made providing a nice bright opening, then the gentle Prelude on as direct transcriptions of the musical score, note for note Down Ampney by Richard Popplewell, using the hymn onto graph paper in a mathematical and mechanical way, tune composed by Ralph Vaughan Williams, and named and require the intervention of a player to coax a musical after the village in which he was born. performance from the bare notes.

Next to Peter’s ‘take’ on Fantasia in G Major BWV 572 by J S Bach. After the majestic ‘Gravement’ central section, Peter chose to play the final ‘Lentement’ section very ‘full’, which to my ear lost some of the intricacies of the rapid manual runs, but with no indication in the score as to how Bach intended it to be played, the interpretation is down to personal preference.

Next to the very familiar Voluntary Op 5 No 8 by John Stanley, in three movements, culminating with a jolly fugue. The perky piece Processional by William Mathias was followed by J S Bach’s Chorale Prelude for Passiontide, O Lamm Gottes, unschuldig Christ lag in Todesbanden. The pianola attached to the Symphony Hall Steinway grand To conclude the recital, Jehan Alain’s dramatic and demanding Litanies provided a good test for both The player does this by using levers on the front of the unit performer and organ, and both came through with flying to control the volume, the speed, sustain and expression. colours, with the reeds of the Walsall Town Hall organ His feet are kept busy pumping twin pedals to operate never sounding better! TS bellows to create a vacuum, which in turn operates the levers protruding from the back of the unit (see photo Thomas Trotter recital at Birmingham Symphony Hall, overleaf), and which strike the piano keys. Thus every Monday 21st March 2016 performance is unique, and in the hands of another player, the same music could sound completely different. He Sharing the stage with a pianola for today’s recital was a explained that there is a vast library of music for the first for Thomas Trotter, and indeed a journey into the pianola, but in fact there is also music composed unknown for most of the audience, not quite knowing what specifically for pianola, which cannot be played on a to expect. conventional piano with two, or even four, hands! 9 following pianola for sale by our newest member, Stephanie Flanagan, Chris Greenhalgh’s guest at our visit to All Saints’ Streetly:

For sale Aeolian pianola/piano. In good order believed to date from the 1940s/50s. Has recently been tuned. Included also are the piano stool and 26 pianola rolls. For further information or to view (Lichfield), please contact Steph Flanagan: 07726344600.

Rear view of the pianola showing the row of levers that strike the piano keys, and the single lever that operates the piano sustain pedal

Michael demonstrated the pianola and his skills playing Wagner’s Siegfried Idyll (arr. A Reinhard) in a beautiful duet, with Thomas Trotter on the Klais organ.

Then with pianola only, Michael played a few bars of Liebeswalzer, Op 57 No 5 by Moszkowski firstly using none of the controls, to demonstrate just how dull the music sounds without human intervention, and then in contrast played using the controls, making the piece come alive. Michael followed in lighter vein with Mayerl’s Bats in the Belfry and Holbrooke’s Irish Jigs, Op 72 No 4. Aeolian pianola/player piano for sale Then, with Thomas again joining Michael, Elgar’s Salut d’Amour (arr. A Reinhard) was followed by Percy Grainger’s delightful Handel in the Strand. Just time for an FORTHCOMING LOCAL ORGAN RECITALS encore, Michael turning again to Percy Grainger to play his Shepherd’s Hey on the pianola, for a frantic ending to LDOA Members’ Recitals/Events today’s recital! Martyn Rawles A most interesting but very different recital, by two In addition to his Lichfield Cathedral commitments, Martyn consummate experts in their chosen professions. TS is giving the following recitals:  Wednesday 27th April 2016 from 1:00 to 1:50 pm at Pat Neville recital at Trinity Methodist Church Bradford Cathedral Shenstone, Monday 21st March 2016  Sunday 11th December 2016 from 4:45 to 5:15 pm at St Paul’s Cathedral Today’s ‘Come & Go’ lunchtime recital of seasonal organ music was performed by our member and resident Cathy Lamb Organist of Trinity Methodist Church, Shenstone, Pat In addition to her Lichfield Cathedral commitments, Cathy Neville. is giving the following recitals:

In her programme notes, Pat referred to her choice of  Thursday 12th May 2016 from 12:30 to 1:10 pm at programme as reflecting today being the first day of Christchurch Priory Spring, followed later in the week by Passover, Good  Saturday 16th July 2016 from 12:00 to 1:10 pm at Friday, Easter Saturday - a favourite for weddings - and Victoria Hall, Hanley finally Easter Sunday, with many of her pieces being  Wednesday 2nd November 2016 from 1:00 to 1:50 pm based on well-known seasonal hymn tunes, as well as J S at Bradford Cathedral Bach’s Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring, a popular choice by couples for their wedding ceremony. Peter Morris The Walsall Town Hall 2015/6 recital series concludes with Pat’s recital was much appreciated by a capacity recitals at 1 pm on Thursday 21st April and Thursday 12th audience, swelled by a group of residents from the nearby May 2016. Footherley Hall care home. Mervin Jones – Darlaston Town Hall Concert of light organ music plus guest artists on 2nd PIANOLA FOR SALE Thursday of every month at Darlaston Town Hall, with Mervin Jones at the 3 manual Binns Organ. Light By pure coincidence, following the pianola/organ recital at refreshments and raffles. 1:30 to 3:30 pm. Mervin reports Symphony Hall, we have been requested to advertise the that Hawkins has now carried out some much needed 10 repairs to address some of the more troublesome issues Thurs 7 April 2016 • 1:15 to 1:45 • St Paul’s, Birmingham with this virtually unaltered 1903 Binns organ, so hopefully Organ Students from Birmingham Conservatoire Mervin’s loyal Darlaston supporters will be able to continue to hear him feature this hidden gem in these concerts! Thurs 7 April 2016 • 1:00 to 1:30 • Solihull Methodist Church Pat Neville - Trinity Methodist Church, Shenstone Oliver Walker (Solihull School) A next lunchtime organ recital, for Harvest, will be given on Monday 26th September 2016 by Trinity Methodist Church Wed 13 April 2016 • 7:30 • St Chad’s Cathedral, resident organist Pat Neville from 12:45 pm to 1:30 pm. Birmingham Bring your sandwiches – hot drinks will be available. Come Kurt Rampton (Birmingham) and go as you please. Frid 15 April 2016 • 12:40 to 1:20 • St Chad’s, Shrewsbury Andrew McMillan Martin J Brown (Bangor Cathedral) Recital at 1:00 to 1:30 on Thursday 12th May 2016 at St Margaret’s, Leicester, one of the churches we visited on Sat 16 April 2016 • 12:00 to 12:45 • Stoke Minster our organ crawl in Leicester June 2015. Ashely Mellor (Tewkesbury Abbey)

Other members of the Leicester & District Organists’ Mon 18 April 2016 • 1:00 to 2:00 • Birmingham Town Hall Association are scheduled to give recitals at St Margaret’s Thomas Trotter with Birmingham Conservative Chamber in 2016, including Philip J Herbert, Peter Harris and Ian Choir Imlay, our host when we visited the church of St Nicholas, Leicester, in June 2015. Wed 20 April 2016 • 7:30 • St Chad’s Cathedral, Birmingham Broadway URC, Walsall David Franke (Staatliche Hochschule für Musik, Stuttgart) Not strictly a member’s recital, but rather a recital series organised by one of our members, Alan Taylor, Organist Thurs 21 April 2016 • 1:00 to 1:50 • Walsall Town Hall and Choirmaster of Broadway URC, Walsall, who Peter Morris (Walsall Borough Organist) deserves great credit for giving talented young organists the opportunity to perform at Broadway URC. Thurs 21 April 2016 • 12:15 to 12:55 • Worcester Cathedral ‘Coffee & Cake recitals’, on Saturday mornings at Richard Cook (Worcester Cathedral) Broadway URC, Gillity Avenue, Walsall, WS5 3PH, at 11:15 am, with refreshments served from 10:30 am. Sat 23 April 2016 • 12:00 to 1:10 • Victoria Hall, Hanley Ian Tracey (Liverpool Cathedral)  Sat 4 June: George de Voil (organ), Wellington College & St James Church, Sussex Gardens, London Wed 27 April 2016 • 1:10 to 2:00 • St Alphege, Solihull  Sat 9 July: Roger Paterson (tenor) & Peter Yardley- Mark Swinton (St Mary’s Collegiate Church, Warwick) Jones (piano & organ), The Swiss Church, Covent Garden, London Thurs 28 April 2016 • 1:15 to 12:55 • Worcester Cathedral  Sat 13 August: Peter Shepherd (organ), Merton Christopher Allsop (Worcester Cathedral) College, Oxford Sat 30 April 2016 • 7:30 • Derby Cathedral Recitals In Local Area (to end of May 2016) Donald MacKenzie (Odeon cinema, Leicester Square)

April 2016 May 2016

Frid 1 April 2016 • 1:00 to 1:45 • Emmanuel, Wylde Green Sun 1 May 2016 • 2:30 • Fentham Hall, Hampton-in-Arden Andrew Fletcher (Birmingham University) Jelani Eddington (Concert Organist)

Sat 2 April 2016 • 11:00 to 12:00 • Malvern Priory Sun 1 May 2016 • 3:00 to 3:45 • Holy Trinity, Wordsley Peter Dyke (Herford Cathedral) Paul Carr (St Paul’s, Birmingham)

Sat 2 April 2016 • 11:00 to 11:40 • St Mary’s Shrewsbury Bank Holiday Monday 2 May 2016 • 11:00 to 11:45 • All Nigel Pursey (Shrewsbury Abbey) Saints’, Leamington Spa Nicholas Morris (Birmingham Cathedral) Sun 3 April 2016 • 2:30 • Fentham Hall, Hampton-in-Arden Stephen Austin (Poulton-Le-Fylde, Lancashire) Bank Holiday Monday 2 May 2016 • 11:00 • St Michael & All Angels, South Yardley Sun 3 April 2016 • 3:00 to 3:45 • Holy Trinity, Wordsley Ian Biggs (St Michael & All Angels, South Yardley) Paul Carr (St Paul’s, Birmingham) Frid 3 May 2016 • 12:40 to 1:20 • St Chad’s, Shrewsbury Mon 4 April 2016 • 1:00 to 2:00 • Birmingham Town Hall Nicholas King (Hemel Hempstead) Konstantin Volostnov (Russia) Wed 4 May 2016 • 7:30 • Birmingham Symphony Hall Tues 5 April 2016 • 12:40 to 1:20 • St Chad’s, Shrewsbury Thomas Trotter (Birmingham City Organist) Andrew Kirk (St Mary Redcliffe)

11 Thurs 5 May 2016 • 12:15 to 12:55 • Worcester Cathedral Thurs 12 May 2016 • 12:15 to 12:55 • Worcester Cathedral Paul Derrett (Hull) Alexander Pott (Westminster Cathedral)

Thurs 5 May 2016 • 1:00 to 1:30 • Solihull Methodist Sat 14 May 2016 • 12:00 to 1:10 • Victoria Hall, Hanley Church Jonathan Scott (Manchester) Joe Cooper (St Alphege, Solihull) Thurs 19 May 2016 • 12:15 to 12:55 • Worcester Cathedral Thurs 5 May 2016 • 1:15 to 1:45 • St Paul’s, Birmingham Ben Bloor (London Oratory) Paul Carr (St Paul’s, Birmingham) Frid 20 May 2016 • 12:40 to 1:20 • St Chad’s, Shrewsbury Frid 6 May 2016 • 1:00 to 1:45 • Emmanuel, Wylde Green Richard Walker (St Chad’s, Shrewsbury) Andrew Fletcher (Birmingham University) Frid 20 May 2016 • 1:15 to 2:00 • St Mary’s Collegiate Frid 6 May 2016 • 1:00 to 1:40 • Wellington Methodist Church, Warwick Church Thomas Corns (St Mary’s Collegiate Church, Warwick) Paul Carr (St Paul’s, Birmingham) Sat 21 May 2016 • 12:00 to 1:00 • Malvern Priory Sat 7 May 2016 • 7:30 • St Mary’s Church, Moseley, Hans Uwe Hielscher (Marktkirche, Weisbaden, Germany) Birmingham David Briggs (Concert Organist) + St Mary’s Choirs. Sat 21 May 2016 • 12:00 to 12:45 • Stoke Minster Inaugural event of the Organ Renovation Appeal Ian Riddle (Newcastle-under-Lyme)

Sat 7 May 2016 • 11:00 to 11:40 • St Mary’s Shrewsbury Mon 23 May 2016 • 1:00 to 2:00 • Birmingham Town Hall Anthony Pinel (St Chad’s, Shrewsbury) Thomas Trotter (Birmingham City Organist)

Sat 7 May 2016 • 11:00 to 11:40 • Ellesmere College Mon 23 May 2016 • 1:00 to 1:30 • Coventry Cathedral (Great Hall/Chapel) Cynthia Hall (Oxford) James Parsons (Royal College of Organists) Wed 25 May 2016 • 1:10 to 2:00 • St Alphege, Solihull Sat 7 May 2016 • 7:30 • Guild Chapel, Stratford-upon- Paul Rosoman (St Luke’s, Wellington, New Zealand) Avon Colin Druce (Warwick School) Thurs 26 May 2016 • 12:15 to 12:55 • Worcester Cathedral Justin Miller, Richard Cook Mon 9 May 2016 • 1:00 to 2:00 • Birmingham Town Hall Thomas Trotter (Birmingham City Organist) Frid 27 May 2016 • 1:15 to 2:00 • St Mary’s Collegiate Church, Warwick Wed 11 May 2016 • 1:00 to 1:45 • Shrewsbury Abbey Andrew Kirk (St Mary Redcliffe) Alan Dowlen (St Mary’s, Ellesmere) Sat 28 May 2016 • 1:00 • St Laurence, Ludlow Wed 11 May 2016 • 7:30 • St Chad’s Cathedral, Shaun Ward (St Laurence, Ludlow) Birmingham David Saint (St Chad’s Cathedral, Birmingham) Bank Holiday Monday 30 May 2016 • 11:00 • St Michael & All Angels, South Yardley Wed 11 May 2016 • 7:45 • Repton School Chapel Ronald Shillingford (Holy Family, Small Heath) David Briggs (Concert Organist)

Thurs 12 May 2016 • 1:00 to 1:50 • Walsall Town Hall Peter Morris (Walsall Borough Organist) For a complete listing of organ recitals in the UK and further details go to: www.organrecitals.com Thurs 12 May 2016 • 1:00 to 1:30 • St Margaret’s, Leicester For details of recital organ specifications go to the National Andrew McMillan (Hinckley Baptist Church) Pipe Organ Register at: www.npor.org.uk

LICHFIELD & DISTRICT ORGANISTS’ ASSOCIATION CONTACTS

President: Martyn Rawles, FRCO Chairman & Newsletter Editor: Trevor Smedley, 01543 319329, e-mail [email protected] Secretary: Richard Syner, 01283 540276 e-mail [email protected] Treasurer: Mike Rudd, 01543 480411, e-mail [email protected] Committee Member – Chris Booth, 01922 685221, e-mail [email protected]

Editorial Note - next newsletter is planned for June 2016, with deadline for submission of items for inclusion of 24/05/16, to Trevor Smedley by e-mail as above, or by mail to 8 The Parchments, Lichfield, , WS13 7NA

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